Cord retractor devices have been utilized for a variety reasons. In most cases various types of cord retractors are used simply for storage. Most of these devices are large, cumbersome and prone to failure over time given the structural parts required for the constant winding and unwinding motions. Additionally, most of the cord retractors of the prior art are hand held and must be cranked to wind up the cord. Most cord retractors are also unable to be mounted to furniture given their circular shape and the fact that they have to be hand wound.
Examples of cord retractor devices that are handheld and unable to be mounted to furniture as well as retractors which are cumbersome are disclosed in the following United States patents and applications: U.S. Pat. No. 5,495,996 (Sakamoto, et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 8,495,996 (Burke, et al.) and Patent Application Nos. 2006/0046561 (Lam, et al.) and 2014/0109630 (Tao).
Given the above, there are a number of shortcomings with cord retractors of the prior art. There is a need for a cord retractor which is compact, easy to use and able to be securely mounted to the underside of a table or podium or other piece of furniture. Therefore, it would be desirable to have a cord retractor that meets these needs and provides a solution for such need in the industry.
A wide variety of cord retractors have been created and are available. However, there is a need for improvement in cord retractors, and it is to this need that this device is directed. This device overcomes certain problems and shortcomings in the prior art, including those mentioned above and others by namely providing an improved table-mounted cord retractor.